


Betting on kisses

by kihobebe



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, And By That I Mean They Talk About Sex, Attempt at Humor, Banter, Bets & Wagers, Competition, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Sex Talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-27 19:37:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18745711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kihobebe/pseuds/kihobebe
Summary: “It’s on then,” Minhyuk murmured, his gaze sharp when he looked over at Kihyun. The evil smile on his face would have been scary for anyone else, but all Kihyun could think of was the moment he would wipe it off his face.“We’re gonna settle the bet once and for all.”“It’s on.”





	Betting on kisses

**Author's Note:**

> Well, this was supposed to be 4k. Look where it went. I hope you'll enjoy!!!! If the end sounds rushed it's because it is :) I am sorry :))) Thanks to Allie and Elisa for always supporting my stupidity!!  
> (unbetaed, pardon my mistakes, I read it too many times)

The first time Hoseok entered the office, Minhyuk elbowed Kihyun in the guts to call for his attention. Outraged, Kihyun yelped out loud, disgruntled with being interrupted while he worked and annoyed at the pointy ends of his best friend being used as a weapon.

The shit-eating grin plastered over Minhyuk’s face was a usual sight for Kihyun, something he had grown used to. His best friend oozed smugness all the time, and even when he didn’t, he still did. Minhyuk jerked his head in the direction of the entrance, wiggling his eyebrows in a funny dance that made him look like a villain in some cartoon. Sighing, Kihyun turned around to see what all the ruckus was about.

There was a man standing there, speaking to Hyunwoo while gesturing wildly all around. He had bright pink hair, and Kihyun’s mouth suddenly felt dry.

“Dibs!” he called out while Minhyuk did the same. Maybe their voices weren’t exactly quiet, given the way half of their coworkers turned in their direction. Kihyun and Minhyuk didn’t even notice. They glared at each other for a whole minute, baring their teeth in a silent challenge. Minhyuk went as far as growling quietly, the perfect replica of a feral beast. The snort that escaped Kihyun was unintentional.

“I said it first,” Minhyuk declared, flipping his imaginary long hair over his shoulder like some sort of diva in a cliché movie. Kihyun disagreed. “We said it at the exact same time, you’re not gonna fool me,” he replied, his eyes going back to the reason of their little quarrel. 

The man was wearing heart-shaped sunglasses on the top of his head, and they were the same hot pink as his hair. Minhyuk clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“You never let me win,” he whined, elbowing Kihyun a second time just for the banter. Kihyun kicked at his chair, which rolled away on its wheels and put some space between them. Before he could cheer in victory, Minhyuk was back.

“We don’t even know if he’s gay,” Kihyun pointed out, trying to reason with the menace that was his best friend. Turning his attention back on the topic at hand, Minhyuk scoffed. He regarded the newcomer with hungry eyes, licking his lips and looking every bit like an old pervert.

Turning in the same direction, Kihyun studied the man who was talking with Hyunwoo. Their boss was standing there with his arms folded, but he looked interested in whatever the stranger was saying.

Aside from his pink hair, the man had other very interesting features. He was wearing what seemed to be a very low-cut sweater without a shirt underneath. His toned chest was glistening under the neon lights, and Kihyun wondered for a brief moment just how much time he spent at the gym to get such glorious tits. He looked at Minhyuk and his scrawny chest, and then huffed a laugh under his breath.

“What?”

“There’s no way you can top that,” Kihyun told him, turning around to resume his work. He had a deadline coming up, and he didn’t have time to deal with stunning men with biceps that could crush his head like a melon.

“You know I don’t mind either way.”

Minhyuk didn’t say anything else, but Kihyun could hear the wheels turning in his head. He never understood how, but Minhyuk managed to be loud even when he was thinking and sitting perfectly still in his chair.

“Let’s make a bet.”

Clicking at his mouse, Kihyun kept his gaze fixed on the computer screen, ignoring completely his best friend and his wild ideas.

“Kihyun,” Minhyuk bumped in Kihyun’s chair to distance him from the desk.

“What?” Kihyun massaged his temples between his thumb and index finger, trying to stop himself from hurling Minhyuk down the stairs. “What do you want?”

“Let’s bet.”

“You don’t even know the man’s name,” Kihyun pointed out, scooting closer to his laptop again and shaking his head at his best friend.

“Hey, Jooheon-ah!”

The intern turned around, the tips of his ears burning red, an awkward smile plastered on his lips. He probably overheard the whole conversation between the two of them.

“Yes, hyung?”

“What’s the new editor’s name?” Minhyuk nodded in the direction of the pink-haired adonis still standing in the middle of the office. His audience had grown, Kihyun noticed, and now Hyungwon was standing next to Hyunwoo, both of them looking every bit enchanted by the man’s words.

“Lee Hoseok,” Jooheon answered, his grin growing a little wider and more sincere. “He’s an old friend of Hyunwoo-hyung, or so the big boss said. He’s worked in Italy for a while, for some famous luxury brand.”

“Italy, that’s fancy,” Minhyuk’s eyes went back to Hoseok and his very tight, probably expensive jeans. “How do you say ‘have sex with me’ in Italian? ‘ _ Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?’ _ ”

“That’s French,” Jooheon provided, before turning around and resuming his work. His cheeks were flushed in embarrassment just as much as his ears were.

“Let’s make that bet,” Minhyuk repeated, “The loser will pay for a fancy dinner.”

“I would love to get a sweet fuck and even sweeter food out of this, but I don’t feel like it’s a good idea.”

“You’re scared of losing.”

It wasn’t even a question, Kihyun realized, Minhyuk’s intonation making it clear that he believed Kihyun was afraid of failure. Scoffing, he hit the back of Minhyuk’s head with his open palm, eliciting a cry out of his best friend.

“As if I could be scared of losing to you.”

“Then bet,” Minhyuk repeated, thrusting his right hand in front of him so Kihyun could shake it. “The loser buys a whole expensive meal.”

 

*

 

Playing games with Minhyuk was never a good idea. The man was ruthless, he was a cheater and he was a sore loser, a deadly combination that always brought terrible headaches to Kihyun.

Having known each other since basically forever, Kihyun was aware of all the tricks that Minhyuk liked to hide up his sleeve, but his best friend always found ways to surprise him. And by surprise him, he meant Minhyuk used his middle school pictures as a weapon. If that wasn’t playing dirty, Kihyun didn’t know what else to call it.

“Look, Hoseok-ssi! This picture was taken by me while Kihyun rode a pony for the first time ever! Isn’t it adorable?”

Minhyuk knew full well that the photo in question was anything but adorable, starting from Kihyun bowl-cut, ending with his terrible horse-riding clothes.

“Very cute,” Hoseok replied to him, grinning from ear to ear. Kihyun didn’t know if he could consider that a win, because despite Hoseok’s coo he knew full well that if there was a word to describe him during his middle school days, that word wasn’t cute.

During the course of the previous two weeks, Kihyun had gotten to know Lee Hoseok a little better.

The man was not only stunning in looks, but he was funny, he was smart, he was talented. He spoke three languages, and he volunteered at an animal shelter during the weekends. Lee Hoseok wasn’t fit for a one-night stand: he was husband material.

Minhyuk seemed to agree with Kihyun, when he sat beside him at lunch and bumped into his shoulder to reclaim his attention, which was solely focused on his food.

“Hoseok has three adopted cats,” he said as an introduction, stealing a french fry from under Kihyun’s nose. His best friend let him. “And one dog.”

“I know.”

“There’s no way he’s someone who fucks on the first date. I’m gonna need to date him. I don’t do dates.”

“Guess I’m gonna get a nice dinner out of you, then,” Kihyun countered, swatting Minhyuk’s hand away when the man tried to take more food from his plate. Pouting, Minhyuk put his chin on Kihyun’s shoulder, his face so close Kihyun could feel his breath against the skin of his neck.

“Go away, you won’t get anything from me,” Kihyun tried to shook him off, but Minhyuk’s long limbs gave him a big advantage when it came to fighting with Kihyun. Wrapping his arms around his best friend’s torso, he side-hugged him and squeezed.

“One more fry,” he pleaded, putting his cheek against Kihyun’s shoulder and rubbing against it like a kitten in need of affection. Sighing, Kihyun pushed the salty food in his mouth to shut him up, putting his palm against his lips to avoid seeing half-chewed food. Minhyuk had a habit of speaking while he was munching.

“Shut up and eat.”

They kept on bickering for a while, Minhyuk stealing all of Kihyun’s fried potatoes in the end. When Hoseok walked by them, they both went silent, interrupting their loud arguing about Minhyuk’s racoon habits.

“Hey guys!” Hoseok smiled and Minhyuk planted his pointy elbow in Kihyun’s side, making him wheeze in pain. “All good?” The editor asked, regarding Kihyun with worried eyes. Minhyuk nodded his head, patting Kihyun’s hair like he was a dog, a creature sitting there just for company.

“All good, Hoseok-ssi! What about you? You seem in amazing shape, do you work out every day?”

Hoseok’s eyes moved from Kihyun to Minhyuk, his lips curling in a sweet smile. “Yeah, I do. Do you wanna work out with me?” 

There was a teasing undertone to his voice, like he was trying to imply  _ something,  _ but Kihyun couldn’t let the opportunity to embarrass Minhyuk slide from his grasp.

“Minhyuk doesn’t do well with working out, Hoseok-ssi. The last time we went for a run he almost died. We had to stop halfway so he could puke in the bushes.”

The slap Kihyun received on his thigh wasn’t enough to wipe the grin off his face. Minhyuk looked at him in outrage, hissing: “I was hangover!” through his teeth. The chuckle that came out of Hoseok’s mouth was maybe the best thing Kihyun had heard all week.

“Well, Minhyuk-ssi, maybe I can help you build some stamina,” Hoseok countered, winking for good measure before waving at them in goodbye and walking away. “See you later!” He added, disappearing from the room.

Minhyuk turned towards Kihyun, his mouth open in surprise. “What was that? Was he  _ flirting _ with me?” 

Staring at Hoseok’s retreating back, Kihyun shrugged his shoulders. “I have no clue. It seemed so?”

“He has never flirted with you,” Minhyuk gloated, making a victory gesture in Kihyun’s face, rising his fingers in a v-shape and putting them under Kihyun’s nose. Kihyun bit his forefinger, making him yelp in pain. “Hey! That’s foul play!”

Letting Minhyuk’s hand go, Kihyun raised his eyebrows. “Isn’t using private pictures for your advantage foul play, too?” He demanded, scowling at Minhyuk when he wiped his finger over Kihyun’s pants.

“That’s your spit,” the dark-haired man pointed out, “And it’s not. I just happened to be in possession of very compromising material about you and I used it to my own advantage. That’s just good strategy.”

“Oh, so you’re saying I can use all the videos I have saved on my hard disk? Because I will remind you, I have a stash of high school Minhyuk dancing to girl groups songs.”

“And what about it?” Minhyuk’s disgruntled expression contrasted with his words, “I was a good dancer.”   
Kihyun bit down on his tongue before he could tell his best friend he still was a good dancer to that day, the memory of a lap dance Minhyuk gave him a couple of months before still vivid at the front of Kihyun’s mind. There was a bet going on that time too, Hyungwon stating he didn’t believe Minhyuk had the guts to give a lap dance to anyone in room. Kihyun remembered very well how he felt when Minhyuk had started grinding his ass against his crotch to the rhythm of “ _ Bad girl, good girl _ ”. 

Shaking his head and cursing his own self, Kihyun stood up.    
“Where are you going?” Minhyuk asked, tugging his sleeve to make him sit back down. “Please, I was joking. No girl groups videos. Please.”

Big puppy eyes, Minhyuk went as far as faking being on the verge of tears. Kihyun flicked his forehead and escaped his grasp.

“I don’t play dirty like you do. I’m gonna win fair and square.”

“Well, we’ll see that.”

There was a threatening promise in Minhyuk’s voice, and Kihyun didn’t like it at all.

 

*

 

They started keeping tabs on who was winning the bet. Well, actually, Jooheon did. He kept tabs on who was able to score more points between Minhyuk and Kihyun. The scores grew every time one of them was able to get more one-on-one time with Hoseok, and they decreased when they were able to embarrass each other. How they were not in the negatives, it was still a mystery.

Given how much time they spent together throughout their lives, they had enough dirt on each other to bury themselves alive. Hoseok was just very amused every time they came up with more awkward shit, laughing his adorable laugh and lifting the spirits of everyone in the room with the sound of it.

Kihyun managed to ask Hoseok out on four lunch dates in the span of a month, which was incredible in his opinion. In Minhyuk’s, Hoseok just felt pity for him. Seeing him so scrawny and tiny, Hoseok wanted to feed him, Minhyuk reasoned. Kihyun pushed his tiny fist in his guts, making him wheeze in pain. The sound was extremely satisfying.

Minhyuk, on the other hand, was able to go to dinner with Hoseok once, but he also got tangled in weekly trainings at the gym. Despite the fact that he could ogle Hoseok’s biceps all he wanted, he admitted he would rather die than run half a hour on the treadmill. Hoseok was a ruthless coach. 

The editor was very sweet with them both, always encouraging them with their work, always making sure they weren’t too tired, and that they always ate and stayed hydrated. The problem was that Hoseok was like that with everyone else, including the interns and Hyunwoo too. Everyone in the office loved Lee Hoseok. It was impossible not to.

Kihyun even tried to ask advice on how to win Hoseok over to the boss, given that him and Hoseok were good friends, but Hyunwoo just looked at him with a neutral expression, blinking slowly.

“Minhyuk has already tried. I won’t meddle in whatever you two are trying to do. Leave Hoseok alone.” It wasn’t exactly threatening, because Hyunwoo had the sweet energy of a giant-sized gummy bear, but it wasn’t a friendly statement either. Shutting his mouth, Kihyun run back to his desk with his metaphorical tail between his legs. 

Despite their best efforts, the result was always tied. Jooheon was amazed.

“It’s like he’s doing it on purpose,” he said one day, pointing out the perfectly balanced score on the whiteboard he used to save the numbers, “Do you think he knows what you two are trying to do?” 

Minhyuk scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at the points under Kihyun’s name. Neither of them were allowed near the board anymore, because they had already attempted at cheating and Jooheon was trying to be an impartial referee. 

“It’s just that he’s too sweet to let anyone down. Especially that sad excuse of a man called Yoo Kihyun.” 

Said man kicked Minhyuk’s shin in retaliation. 

“What about the company’s party next week?” Jooheon looked like he just had the best idea ever, his dimples showing when he grinned at them.

“What about it?” Kihyun asked, sitting down in his chair and putting his feet on Minhyuk’s desk. His best friend shoved them off.

“There will be alcohol involved. It’s the best time for you two to try and woo mister Lee,” Jooheon reasoned, his eyes disappearing with the force of his smile, “I’ll make sure Hyunwoo won’t stop you.”

Minhyuk and Kihyun looked at each other, assessing the enemy.

“What should we try to achieve?” Minhyuk asked. Kihyun could almost see the wheels turning inside his head, probably cooking up some evil plan to sabotage Kihyun. 

“Yeah, what’s the deal? Should we ask him out on a date?” 

Jooheon shook his head. “The man is too dense. He’ll think you’re asking him out as a coworker or a friend. No, you’ll try to get a kiss.”

For a moment, the only sound in the room was the one of Jooheon tapping his foot on the floor, waiting for their reaction. 

“A kiss?” Minhyuk asked, “A real kiss or a kiss on the cheek? Does any place count?” 

Too stunned to reply, Kihyun listened as Minhyuk listed places where he could get a kiss, wanting to know if those counted as well. “Forehead? Hand? Ear?” He counted on his fingers, looking puzzled.

“Whichever is good,” Jooheon shrugged, his lips in a contemplative pout, “I guess whoever gets the spicier kiss wins.”

“That sounds fun,” Kihyun said, still sitting in his chair, his feet propped over Minhyuk’s desk once again, “I bet Minhyuk won’t be able to get any kiss at all.”

“Stop betting, hyung,” Jooheon chastised, “Who gets the better kiss will win ten points,” he decided, pointing at the scoreboard with his thumb.

Kihyun looked at his fifteen points, and at Minhyuk’s fifteen ones. He smiled. 

“You’re such a genius, Jooheon-ah.”

The younger blushed at the praise, his cheeks raising when his whole face lighted up with the power of his grin. “Thanks, hyung, I do my best!”

“It’s on then,” Minhyuk murmured, his gaze sharp when he looked over at Kihyun. The evil smile on his face would have been scary for anyone else, but all Kihyun could think of was the moment he would wipe it off his face, “We’re gonna settle the bet once and for all.”

“It’s on.”

 

*

 

Despite Hyunwoo’s best efforts at keeping the company’s dinner parties tame and peaceful, there was always something or someone that would turn the night around. This time, it was Minhyuk’s fault. He decided to buy beers for everyone, putting himself on the verge of bankruptcy and everyone else on the verge of alcohol poisoning.

That night was the fated night. Kihyun and Minhyuk were supposed to steal a kiss from Hoseok, the spicier the kiss the better. The drinks were supposed to make their task easier, alcohol blurring the edges between bosses and employees, between interns and veterans. Jooheon was sitting in Hyunwoo’s lap, looking tiny between the older man’s arms, and Kihyun wondered if they wouldn’t be awkward once they returned to work on Monday. But who was he to judge, when all he wanted was to suck face with Lee Hoseok.

The problem was that Hoseok wasn’t a drinker. He had barely touched his beer, took just a sip of it and then passed it down to Minhyuk, who chugged it without a thought in the world and then proceeded to stand up to start dancing on the table. Kihyun had to stop him, because even though he would have loved for Minhyuk to embarrass himself in front of everyone (especially Hoseok,) Kihyun feared he would slip on a half-empty dish and die a painful death. 

Taking Minhyuk by the collar of his shirt, Kihyun dragged the man down, and then towards the toilet, pushing him inside and telling him to get it together. 

“We have a bet going on,” Kihyun reminded him, and Minhyuk lighted up from inside at the words, as if he had just remembered what was the main goal of the night. Kihyun blamed the alcohol for his sudden forgetfulness.

“I’m gonna crush you, little man. Just you wait,” Minhyuk fisted his hand around the front of Kihyun’s shirt, bringing their faces together. Kihyun scoffed. “Of course.”

“Don’t make fun of me!” The taller man whined, shaking Kihyun in his hold until his friend peeled his fingers off himself. “Of course,” he repeated, a small smile pulling at the corners of his lips, “You’re gonna win for sure.”

“I will! I will kiss Hoseok until he’s out of breath! I’ll show you!”

“Yeah, yeah. Now go wash your hands,” Kihyun said with a chuckle and a small push to Minhyuk’s back in the right direction.

When Minhyuk came out of the bathroom, he had red lipstick on his face and he looked as drunk as he did just five minutes before. He stumbled over his feet, crashing against Kihyun where the shorter man was standing right outside the door.

The lipstick Minhyuk applied was smudged on his left cheek, and Kihyun caught him by the shoulders so the brunette didn't topple over.

“Do I look hot?” Minhyuk demanded, pouting in Kihyun's face and showing off his red lips, jutting them out. His breath smelled of beer and spicy chips, and Kihyun reached in his pocket for a tissue.

“Kihyunnie,” Minhyuk whined, dragging the syllables while he leaned more into Kihyun's personal space, his face just centimeters away from Kihyun's nose. “Do I look hot? Will Hoseok want to kiss me?”

Suppressing a snort, Kihyun reached out for Minhyuk's cheek, trying to fix the mess of red makeup staining his skin.

“You look good,” Kihyun told him to appease him, so he would stop squirming in his hold. Using both his hands to keep Minhyuk’s head steady, Kihyun rubbed at the lipstick, focused. His nose was scrunched and his eyes were fixed on the mess Minhyuk had made.

When Minhyuk felt the soft caress of the tissue rubbing at his skin, he went still in Kihyun's hold, his lips parted and his eyes fixed somewhere on Kihyun's face. Kihyun could still feel the stench of alcohol hitting his nostrils, but he wasn't minding it anymore when Minhyuk went pliant between his hands.

There were days during which the whole bet seemed pointless to Kihyun. It was clear to him who would Hoseok choose in the end.

Minhyuk had pretty lips and even prettier eyes, his jaw sharp and his cheekbones chiseled. He was tall, thin, and extremely handsome. There was no way that a man wouldn't fall in love with Minhyuk's stunning visuals, and when one got to know him, Minhyuk was stunning in many other ways.

He was witty, he was smart, he was outspoken, and now Kihyun was staring at his red-tinted lips that were just centimeters away from his face, the need to run his thumb over the plump flesh taking over his body.

For a second, he considered the idea. He could touch Minhyuk’s bottom lip, stain his finger in red lipstick, feel the warmth of Minhyuk’s skin. He could use his hold on his face to angle his head a little better and press their mouths together, taste the beer on the tip of his tongue. The kiss would be short, nothing too crazy, just a peck, but Kihyun would probably feel a shiver run through his spine, his skin would erupt in goosebumps.

He wondered if Minhyuk would kiss back, if he would put his hands on Kihyun’s hips, or his arms around his neck. If he would get closer to mold their bodies together, to feel every bit of Kihyun’s skin against his own.

Minhyuk blinked, one of his eyes closing before the other, making it seem like he was winking. Kihyun realized their faces were a little too close together.

He kept rubbing at Minhyuk’s skin until the lipstick disappeared, and then he patted his cheeks to let him know he was all good. The brunette didn’t move, his eyes still fixed over Kihyun’s face, his mouth slightly agape as though he was about to say something.

“Now you’re all good and ready to seduce Hoseok,” Kihyun told him with a smile, turning his back to him and starting to walk away without waiting to see if Minhyuk was following him.

Feeling something pull him back, he stopped in his tracks.

Minhyuk was clenching the back of his shirt in his hand, tugging at it and preventing Kihyun from getting away.

“What’s up?”

“Can we go home?” Minhyuk asked, sounding pitiful, rubbing at his eyes with his fist, his whole face looking disgruntled.

“Weren’t we here to settle the bet once and for all?” Kihyun demanded, quoting Minhyuk’s words to him and cocking his head to the side in question. Minhyuk just rubbed at his eyes harder, smudging his mascara all around. Reaching out to stop him, Kihyun gently swatted his hand away from his face.

“I feel tired. I think I drank too much.”

“You sure did,” Kihyun agreed, but then he took Minhyuk’s hand and started leading him towards the exit. Like a lost puppy, Minhyuk followed.

 

*

 

Kihyun’s plan was to leave Minhyuk at home, make sure that he wouldn’t die, and then head back to his own apartment. The task turned out to be harder than Kihyun thought it would be.

Mostly because Minhyuk was a clingy drunk. His already too long limbs somehow seemed to multiply under alcohol’s influence, turning him in a deadly octopus who wouldn’t let go of Kihyun once the taxi left them in front of his house. Since he was the best best friend in all realms, Kihyun hauled Minhyuk up on his shoulders and gave him a piggyback ride all the way to the front door. All Minhyuk did in the meantime was put his face in the crook of Kihyun’s neck and fall asleep, snoring softly in his ear.

“Minhyuk-ah, we’re here,” he called out once he tried out the usual door’s password and couldn’t unlock it. Minhyuk just breathed louder. “Fucking hell.”

He tried all the combinations of numbers he could think of, even Minhyuk’s birthday date, which would have been the perfect code to get easily robbed, in Kihyun’s opinion. Then, as if a celestial knowledge had descended upon him to enlighten his brain, Kihyun tried to input his own birthday date. The light flashed green.

“What the fuck, Lee Minhyuk,” he whispered through his teeth, but his friend was still knocked out on his back, his arms and legs tangled around Kihyun. “You’re so weird, bro.”

Not getting any answers, Kihyun just made his way inside, not being surprised when he entered Minhyuk’s room and found a pile of clothes sitting on the floor. He probably emptied his closet to choose what to wear that night, the black leather pants and fitted shirt he was wearing being most likely a last minute choice. Kihyun liked the outfit, it made his legs look longer and highlighted his shoulders. He dumped Minhyuk on the bed, ignoring the jackets at the foot of it.

“Gonna fetch you some water, Min. Be right back,” he said to no one, because Minhyuk was still snoring, his mouth open, a string of saliva falling out of it. 

The purple-haired man went around the house looking for water and pills, meaning to leave them on Minhyuk’s nightstand and disappear. Before he could, Minhyuk’s phone went off, “ _ I’m so hot _ ” playing so loud Kihyun wondered how his best friend managed to sleep through it. When he finally fished the device out of his jacket, he realized the caller was Hoseok, who was saved under “ _ Beefcake _ ” on Minhyuk’s phone.

“Hello?”

The voice on the line sounded worried. “Hello, Minhyuk?” 

“No, Hoseok-ssi,  it’s Kihyun.”

“Oh, good. Minhyuk is with you, I suppose? I kinda went in a panic when I couldn’t find either of you around. Your phone seems to be dead.”

KIhyun could hear the chatter of the bar in the background, and he felt bad for having ditched the party without telling anyone. He checked his own smartphone, realizing it was turned off.

“Yes, I think the battery died. Sorry if we made you worry.” Kihyun threw a quick glance at Minhyuk rolling around in bed, almost at the edge of it, and nudged him back to the center. “I just put Minhyuk to bed, don’t worry. And I didn’t drink that much to begin with.”

“Yeah, I noticed that, that’s why I didn’t immediately call the police when I didn’t see you around anymore.”

The chuckle escaped Kihyun’s lips before he could stop it. “Yeah, don’t worry. We’re fine. He’s sleeping already,” he said while running his fingers through Minhyuk’s fringe, combing it back from where it fell over his eyes. Minhyuk grumbled but he kept his eyes shut.

“I suppose I’m not gonna see him at the gym tomorrow,” Hoseok said, the loud noises on the background suddenly quieting down. Kihyun supposed Hoseok had gone somewhere more silent so he could listen to him better, and his heart swelled a little in his chest at the knowledge that Hoseok wanted to talk with him more on the phone. 

“I suppose he’s gonna sleep the whole weekend to get rid of his hangover.”

Hoseok laughed on the other side of the line, and Kihyun wished he could hear that sound more. His fingers kept moving on their own accord through Minhyuk’s hair while he spoke. “I will make sure he drinks enough water.”

“He’s lucky to have you,” Hoseok reasoned, the smile in his voice unmistakable. Kihyun wondered what the older man thought of their constant bickering and loud antics.

“You should tell him that, because all he does is annoy and make my life a living hell when I’m so sweet to him.”   
“You’re a liar,” someone said, but that voice didn’t come from the phone, too raspy to be Hoseok’s in the first place.

“Oh, the sleeping beauty is awake, Hoseok-ssi. I’ll see you on Monday!”

“Tell him to rest well,” Hoseok answered before hanging up. By the time Kihyun put the phone down, Minhyuk was propped up on his elbows, his eyes following him around the room. “What are you doing here?”

“‘ _ Thank you Kihyun for bringing me home and not letting me die on the side of the street _ ’ didn’t sound good to your ears?”

Minhyuk scoffed, sitting up completely and kicking the jackets piled on his bed off it. “Thank you,” he grumbled under his breath, gaze still glued on Kihyun, who was placing meds and a water bottle on the bedside table.

“Since you seem fine, I’m gonna go now,” Kihyun reasoned, bending down to pat Minhyuk’s head in goodbye. Hands got tangled at the front of his shirt. “Wait.”

“What?”

The light in Minhyuk’s eyes was still kind of liquid, and he was probably still tipsy, but Kihyun couldn’t make out much of his expression given the semi-darkness in which the room was bathed. “What is it, Minhyuk?”

“None of us got the points tonight, right? You didn’t kiss him, did you?”

The question took Kihyun off guard, all thoughts about the bet long forgotten. He shook his head in denial, but Minhyuk didn’t let go of his shirt, clinging onto it like it was the only thing keeping him afloat. Before Kihyun could try to peel him off, tuck him under the covers and tell him to go back to sleep, for fuck’s sake, Minhyuk was dragging him down. When he looked again in Minhyuk’s eyes, they were much closer. Kihyun’s gaze slipped down his face, to his red-tinted lips, staring as Minhyuk’s tongue darted out to wet the bottom one. Kihyun gulped down, almost choking on his own spit.

“W-what are you doing?” Was all Kihyun could ask before Minhyuk sealed their mouths together, surging up to close the distance between their faces. 

Stuck in place, his mind spinning, Kihyun couldn’t help but notice that Minhyuk’s lips were softer than they looked, and when he parted his own in surprise what he tasted on the tip of his tongue was the beer Minhyuk had drunk all night. Kissing Minhyuk was better than he imagined, the little sounds he made when Kihyun kissed him back raising goosebumps on his skin, their mingled breaths so hot Kihyun wondered if they could start a fire just with their force. 

Before he could even realize what was actually going on, it was all over, the dark-haired man letting him go and falling back down on his bed.

“Goodnight, Kihyunnie,” he said, closing his eyes and falling asleep once again as if nothing had just happened.

Kihyun’s frantic heart said otherwise.

 

*

 

Kihyun was sitting alone at his desk, his cheek resting on its surface, his eyes closed, when Hoseok stumbled upon him.

“You seem stressed.”

Hoseok's voice was muffled by the bite he took of his lunch, and Kihyun banged his forehead lightly against his desk for the nth time that day. Without raising his head from its position, he heard the man slide in Minhyuk's chair and roll closer to him on its wheels.

“What's up?” Hoseok asked, genuine interest coloring his words, “I'm a good listener, you can talk to me.”

Kihyun considered brushing him off with an excuse about work being demanding and schedules piling up, but his brain was on fire and he kept feeling a pressure over his sternum, like there was a heavy weight over it. Maybe talking to someone else would give him a different perspective, a new light in which he could watch everything.

Raising slowly from his hunched position, he sat straighter in his chair.

“Let's say I have a book.”

“What's its title?”

Kihyun racked his brain as fast as he could for a suitable name.

“The sun shines bright.”

There was a book with that title on Kihyun’s bookshelf at home, but he hoped Hoseok didn't know what he was talking about. That title was just fitting for his metaphor, and the book was all about science, something his dad had gifted him in hope his son would change his mind and become an engineer instead of a photographer for a fashion magazine.

“That's an interesting title,” Hoseok answered, still munching on his toast. His cheeks were full of food and Kihyun barely resisted the sudden need to pinch one of them between his thumb and forefinger. “What about this book?” Hoseok demanded, bringing Kihyun back to reality.

“Right. This book, I've read it a million times over. It's been on my shelf for years, and any other day I'd tell you that I know it by heart.”

Kihyun paused, his eyes scanning Hoseok's face before resuming: “And yet, recently it has changed. I keep discovering new lines in it, new meanings, and even the passages I loved the most, the ones I highlighted, started to not make any sense to me. It's like it's a completely different book, but I'm sure it's the same one I've read many and many times over.”

Hoseok kept quiet for a while, occupied with his food, and Kihyun's mind kept spinning around in circles, replaying the same memories over and over again.

“Maybe it's not the book's fault,” the older man finally spoke up, his lips pursed in a pout. He had a bit of avocado stuck on the corner of his mouth, and crumbs in his lap. “Maybe it's you.”

“What about me?” Kihyun asked, confused by Hoseok's words. What about him? Was it his fault, that everything he knew so well until recently, now was starting to not make any sense?

“Maybe it's you who's changed. Books have that effect. When you grow up, or when your feelings change, reading again the same book could bring a new perspective over it. Words you've never be hit by before could cut in your heart. That's books’ magic.” Hoseok smiled, his gums showing. The pressure over Kihyun’s chest grew stronger. “Maybe you're a different person now, different than last time you read that book, and it seems so weird because of that. You've changed.”

Silence fell upon them, as Kihyun thought about Hoseok’s words and the latter started eating his lunch again. For a while, the only sound in the office was the one of Hoseok’s jaw working hard. Then, Kihyun sighed.

“What is it?”

“I think you might be right,” Kihyun’s eyes were fixed on the framed picture of him and Minhyuk from their high school graduation day. They were both dressed in black, Kihyun’s hair the same color while Minhyuk’s was an ugly shade of yellow. What Kihyun liked the most about that photo were the smiles shining bright on their faces.

“I think I’ve changed without realizing, and now everything that was certain isn’t so anymore.”

Hoseok blinked, using a napkin to wipe the last crumbs of his lunch that had stuck to his face.

“I have a feeling we aren’t talking about books anymore,” he said, and then he put one of his hands on Kihyun’s knee, squeezing lightly. The gesture was comforting, amicable, but it sent shivers running down the whole expense of Kihyun’s back. The warmth and weight of Hoseok’s hand on his thigh were unexpected, but not unwelcome, and Kihyun felt himself relax a little in the older man’s hold.

“Yeah, not books.”

“Is this about Minhyuk?”

Freezing in his place, Kihyun did everything in his power to avoid looking Hoseok in the eyes, pretending he just got a text on his phone and fishing it out of his pocket.

“What about Minhyuk?” He asked, scrolling through his Instagram feed without actually looking at anything.

“He kept talking about you the other night, at the party,” Hoseok stated, smiling sweetly, his hand still clutching Kihyun’s knee. “He said he would show you! I don’t know what he wanted to show you, but I hope he managed to do whatever was in his mind.”

Kihyun hummed, closing Instagram and opening Facebook, mindless of the way Hoseok’s eyes were boring holes into the side of his face.

“Yeah, he kinda did.”

Kihyun was pretty sure that what Minhyuk meant to show him was not what he actually did in the end, but Hoseok didn’t need to know that. It was enough that in a similar situation, in which Kihyun could have flirted and tried to get into Hoseok’s pants without Minhyuk’s interfering, the only thing he managed to do was look pathetic.

“I have to run, hyung. Jooheon just sent me a message and he’s in a panic. I’ll see you later?”

“Yeah. Take good care of the kid, ok?”

Nodding, Kihyun waved his hand in a goodbye before making his way downstairs. He actually had nowhere to go, and he didn’t know if the conversation with Hoseok helped him or only made him more confused, his mind still a mess of unanswered questions.

*

Minhyuk was hunched over Hoseok’s desk, their heads together, subdued laughs reaching Kihyun’s ears where he was sitting in front of his laptop. His eyes kept wandering over, and he couldn’t believe his own self when he realized he was staring at his best friend’s ass through the glass door of Hoseok’s office

“For fuck’s sake, he doesn’t even have one,” he sheeted to himself, clicking tabs open in his browser without a purpose. 

“Who doesn’t have what?” Jooheon appeared out of nowhere, making Kihyun jump in his seat. 

“Boy, what’s up with the sneaky way you go around the office lately?” 

Jooheon squatted down next to him, disappearing below the desk just before Hyunwoo put foot in the room.

“Have you guys seen Jooheon-ah?” The boss asked, looking around with a puzzled expression on his face, “I was sure I saw him in here.”

Before Kihyun could answer, Jooheon tugged at his sleeve and put his forefinger against his lips, in a clear plea to shut up about his location.

“Nope! I think he went for coffee!” Kihyun answered, and Hyunwoo turned around and disappeared without another word, the look of confusion still on his face.

“Care to tell me what’s going on?” 

“Actually, I don’t.” Jooheon smiled, but it looked forced, his dimples trembling. Kihyun didn’t question him anymore. “What’s up with you, anyway? Why aren’t you over there,” the intern jerked his head in the direction of Hoseok’s desk, “to meddle? I thought you would try to sabotage Minhyuk at any given opportunity.”   
Clicking on the Photoshop icon on his screen, Kihyun pretended he was busy. “I have work to do,” he pointed out, but Jooheon just scoffed at him. 

“It didn’t stop you before.”   
“It’s stopping me now. I have to finish this before the day is over, I don’t have any time to waste  going around the office and flirting my way into Hoseok’s pants,” he grumbled under his breath, throwing another quick glance at the two men still chatting with their heads close together. One of Minhyuk’s hands was on Hoseok’s shoulder. Kihyun gritted his teeth together. 

“I guess Minhyuk will win the bet, then,” Jooheon reasoned. In all honesty, Kihyun had stopped caring. He had stopped caring the moment his best friend had decided to fuck with his head and then proceed to act as if everything was still the same. In Kihyun’s vision, it was already clear how reality would unfold for him. 

Sooner or later the bet would be over, Minhyuk would get a handsome boyfriend, and he would need to pay a meal for them. There was no reason to keep fighting, when his motivation to win had been wiped out the moment Minhyuk had kissed him. 

“I guess so.”

“Don’t you like Hoseok anymore?” Jooheon asked, still sitting on the floor, now with his legs crossed. He looked like he had just found the most comfortable spot in the building. 

“I do like him.” 

It was practically impossible to not like Hoseok. Of all the adorable, quirky things Hoseok did on a daily basis, there was one that always made Kihyun smile. Right before lunch he videocalled his cats and his dog, talking to them through a camera he had set up at home with the sole purpose of never being separated from them. If that wasn’t adorable, Kihyun didn’t know what else to call it. 

What was even more endearing was the big grin taking over his face whenever his cute, fluffy dog barked at him in answer to his voice. The way his cheeks squished his eyes closed was lovely, his gummy smile so bright Kihyun thought one could go blind just by looking at it. 

Yes, Kihyun liked Hoseok. He would have loved to take him out on a date or two, to kiss him goodbye after a night out together. To do other things with him too, because despite the soft, sweet heart Hoseok had, it was impossible to ignore just how hot the man was. As Kihyun had already said once, Hoseok was fit for being the best boyfriend in the whole world.

“Then, what’s stopping you?” Jooheon had his elbows on his knees and his cheek in his palm, his head cocked to the side in wonder. 

“Why are you hiding?” Kihyun asked back, because explaining his feelings to Jooheon sounded like something he wouldn’t like to do, not even in a billion years. Jooheon recoiled, sitting straighter and looking around as though he was scared of seeing Hyunwoo appear out of nowhere.

“Let’s just drop it.”

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

Eyeing Kihyun with suspicion written in his eyes, Jooheon crawled his way back to his own desk, sitting on his chair but keeping his head low, as to be hidden behind his computer monitor. Kihyun stopped questioning his behaviour, his head turning in the direction of Hoseok and Minhyuk on its own accord. 

The smile on Minhyuk’s face wasn’t unfamiliar, but the look in his eyes was new to Kihyun. There were sparkles in there, a whole galaxy of stars shining bright in his gaze. Hoseok looked back at him with the same expression, chuckling lowly at something Minhyuk had just whispered in his ear. 

The knot inside Kihyun’s chest became tighter when Hoseok reached out to wipe a fallen lash away from Minhyuk’s cheek. The weight above his sternum growing heavier by the minute, Kihyun looked away, his gaze back on his laptop. He hoped that the stupid bet would be over soon, so he could move on with his life. Even if he was bound to experience some sort of heartbreak, he just wanted Minhyuk to be happy.

 

*

 

The scores on the board were still magically tied. Kihyun wasn’t sure how that was possible, when he wasn’t even trying anymore. He supposed that Hoseok was just that caring, spending time with him even though Kihyun had stopped asking. Minhyuk was seething, walking back and forth in the space between his and Jooheon’s desk.

“This is not possible,” he kept repeating, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyebrows knitted over his eyes. Kihyun’s eyes followed his movements, a small teasing smile appearing on his lips despite his best efforts at containing it. 

“Listen, you’re just not as special to him as you think you are,” Kihyun taunted him, rolling away when Minhyuk kicked his chair in annoyance.   
“Like hell I am.”   
“Let’s just say there’s no winner in this competition and go out for dinner together.”

Halting in his tracks, Minhyuk gave the purple-haired man a nasty look. “You’re just scared of losing.”

“Oh my god, Minhyuk! We already had this conversation, and look where it lead us.” 

“You should just ask him who he likes the most,” Jooheon suggested, typing away on his keyboard and not sparing them a glance. The victorious howl Minhyuk emitted made the other two men in the room jump in their seats. “Jooheon-ah, you’re a genius!”

Jooheon shrugged his shoulders, still immersed in whatever he was doing, and Kihyun feared for his life when Minhyuk started walking towards him.

“C’mon, Kihyunnie. Let’s go.”   
“Go where?” 

“To find Hoseok.”

That sounded like a terrible plan in Kihyun’s humble opinion, but Minhyuk was stubborn and he didn’t take no as an answer, so he just got up and followed his best friend around until they found Hoseok, sitting on a bench outside, basking in the sun. He had his phone in his hands, playing a game on it while he chugged down some protein shake. 

“Hoseok!” Minhyuk called out to him as soon as they spotted him, waving the hand that he was not using to drag Kihyun around in the air. The pink-haired man waved back enthusiastically.

“Hello, guys! What are you doing here?” He asked, putting his phone down and smiling at them. Kihyun’s chest hurt.

“We were looking for you.”

Hoseok seemed surprised to hear that, but he sat straighter and looked at them with interest. His eyes slipped down from their faces to their hands, and Kihyun realized that Minhyuk was still holding his wrist in his giant-sized claw. He snatched it away.

“What’s up?” 

“Who do you like the most?” Minhyuk demanded without any preamble, and Kihyun groaned quietly, looking away from Hoseok’s face as quickly as he could. Rejection was not what he feared the most, it was the idea of seeing any kind of pity in Hoseok’s eyes.

Hoseok sounded puzzled when he answered: “What do you mean?”

“Between the two of us. Who would you go on a date with?” Minhyuk made it sound like it was an urgent question, a riddle he immediately needed the answer to.

“Uh,” Kihyun finally found the courage to turn back towards Hoseok, who had his mouth in a pout and confusion written all over his face. “Both?” He paused, his eyes moving from Minhyuk’s face to Kihyun’s. “Why are you asking me this, anyway? I thought you two were already dating each other.”

The silence that followed was almost comical, one of those empty moments that would be filled with cricket noises in movies. Instead, there was nothing, just the loud sound of Kihyun’s heart thumping in his own years. What was that again?

“I’m sorry, what did you just say?” Minhyuk looked as stunned as Kihyun felt, his eyes wide open while his eyebrows were about to disappear into his hairline. Hoseok had the audacity to chuckle. “Aren’t you two dating?” He asked once again, fiddling with the phone in his hands.

At that, Minhyuk started shaking. Literally shaking, his shoulders trembling with the force of his barely contained laughter, that soon erupted out of his mouth. Curling on himself, his hands clutching his sides, he laughed like what he just heard was the funniest joke of the century. Hoseok sent a confused look in Kihyun’s direction. 

When Minhyuk finally stopped his burst of hilarity, he was breathing hard, as if he had just run a marathon. He had tears at the corners of his eyes, and his face was red all over.

“Me? And Kihyun? Us? Dating? How did you come up with this this,” he wheezed out, hands on his knees while he tried to breathe again. Hoseok’s mouth fell open in a silent ‘o’. “Aren’t you two a thing? Haven’t you been since day one?”

At that, Kihyun cocked his head to the side in bewilderment. “Wait, what?”

“I thought you were playing a game with each other to see who I liked the most just because you wanted to make things spicier in your relationship.” Hoseok explained, “The first time I saw you two together you were acting like a couple.”

Trying to recall that specific memory, Kihyun realized he had no clue what Hoseok was talking about. “What?”   
“It was on the first day I was here. You were sleeping at your desk and Minhyuk went around looking for a blanket to drape it over your shoulders. He told me you had worked hard the night before for a shooting.” Kihyun turned towards Minhyuk, who was now standing straighter, his eyes unfocused. “When he came to tuck you in you woke up, kissed his hand and thanked him.”

“I did  _ what _ ?!”

“We’re just best friends!” The two of them exchanged a look, in which Kihyun hoped Minhyuk couldn’t read what was running through his mind. 

“We’ve been friends since forever.”

“Yeah, well, supposedly you can be friends with your significant other.” Hoseok still seemed unconvinced about their explanation, his eyes getting smaller as he tried to focus on something. 

“You’re not together then? You were actually betting on who was gonna get into my pants first?”   
“Wait, how do you know that?” Kihyun thought his ears couldn’t get more flushed in embarrassment, but he was wrong.

“You two are too obvious. And Jooheon forgot to hide the scoreboard one day.”

Minhyuk grumbled something ominous under his breath, probably a curse against the intern, and then he spoke to Hoseok again: “Well, we’re not together. So, who do you like more?”

Hoseok put his phone in his lap before tapping his forefinger against his bottom lip in thought. 

“As I said, I like you both. If you want to go on a date with me, I would like if we went as three instead as of a couple. But I guess that would be awkward for you two, right? Since you’re such good, totally platonic friends.” 

The pink-haired man winked at Kihyun, the corners of his mouth curved in the cutest mischievous grin Kihyun had ever seen in his life. Shaking his head no, Kihyun dropped his gaze to avoid exposing his blushing face.

“I guess it’s a tie for you two, in the end.” Hoseok shrugged his shoulders, standing up and saying goodbye before he disappeared inside the building. 

“What the fuck,” Minhyuk murmured before going after him, and Kihyun couldn’t help but agree with him. 

“What the fuck, indeed.”

 

*

 

It had been a whole week since Kihyun had last talked with Minhyuk. After the confrontation with Hoseok, his best friend had started avoiding them both like the plague, going as far as taking two days off work and hiding at home. Kihyun knew he wasn’t actually ill, he was just pretending. He used to do the same thing at school, when he wanted to skip tests. 

The apology Kihyun received from Hoseok during that week was completely unexpected.

“I’m sorry I almost outed you,” the pink-haired man said, putting his hand on top of his head and ruffling his hair while they were in the breakroom, both drinking a coffee during a pause from work, “I really thought you two were together.” 

Kihyun felt the need to deny his feelings for Minhyuk, but at that point there was no way Hoseok could believe him, when he read through him so easily. “It’s ok, Minhyuk is too dense. He won’t understand either way.”

The hand in Kihyun’s hair made its way down, brushing over his cheek before resting on his shoulder, a comforting warmth spreading through Kihyun’s body from the point of contact. Hoseok’s hands were rough, but they were gentle.

“He’ll come around.”

“Yeah, I don’t think he will. But thank you for your encouragement.” Kihyun smiled, and Hoseok mirrored his expression, his eyes curling up and his fingers brushing over Kihyun’s shirt, “But wouldn’t you like to date Minhyuk? I thought you liked him!”

“As I’ve already said, I’d like to date you both. As a package. Because you two together are really something else.” Hoseok got a little closer to him, a conspiring expression on his face when he looked around to check there was no one in sight, “And I bet you’d do great in bed, too.”   
Kihyun almost died choking on his own spit, Hoseok patting his back while tears formed in his eyes. Sure, he was not a pure soul. He couldn’t lie and say he didn’t think of Minhyuk in those terms too, but what he cared the most in that moment was to get his best friend back. 

It had been a week of unanswered calls and texts, and Kihyun was running out of patience. It was the upteenth time the voicemail answered instead of Minhyuk, and Kihyun cut off the call with a huff, throwing his phone away and deciding he would spend his night watching a movie instead of hoping Minhyuk would finally give him some attention. 

The bell rang while he was ready to pour ramen in the boiling water, too lazy to actually cook. He was glad he didn’t dump the noodles in the pot before answering the door because he would have wasted food, since Minhyuk was standing there with his arms full of takeout boxes. He had a big grin on his face, one that said “ _ please, I know I’ve been dumb, forgive me. _ ” Kihyun let him in.

No words were exchanged while they put food on the table, but before Kihyun could sit down and start eating, Minhyuk stopped him by grabbing his hand.

“It’s ok Min, there’s no need to apologize more. I understand.”

“No, I don’t think you actually understand.”

There was a bizarre silence in the room, charged with electricity. Kihyun peeled Minhyuk’s fingers off, taking a step back before looking him in the eyes.

“You were mad because you didn’t win the bet and you decided to ignore me, because you’re petty and competitive. I understand.”   
“Hey, I’m not  _ petty _ !” Minhyuk protested, and Kihyun opened his mouth to counter, but his friend went on, “And no, that’s not what happened. Please, Ki. Just listen to what I have to say, and then you can kick me out if you want.”

“Fine.”

Minhyuk put his hands together, his gaze fixed on his fingers when he started talking. 

“Do you remember what Hoseok said? About the blanket.”

Kihyun nodded his head yes, and Minhyuk went on: “It wasn’t you who kissed my hand. It was me, who like an idiot kissed my own hand and then pressed it against your lips. I don’t know why you said thanks in your sleep, you were probably dreaming.”   
“What?!”

“And at the party last month? I wanted to kiss  _ you _ , not Hoseok. Since I first saw you that night, and then even more when you started cleaning up the mess I made. While you were rubbing lipstick off my face I wanted nothing more than to kiss you. And so, when I woke up at home, I did.” Minhyuk took a deep breath, his gaze still lowered, his cheeks flushed. “You looked so good that night, I couldn’t help myself. And then I panicked, and I thought pretending nothing happened would be the best solution. Well, it wasn’t.”

Kihyun’s mouth was hanging open, no words coming out of it. It didn’t matter, because Minhyuk wasn’t done.

“And then Hoseok said those things, you know, and I started considering our friendship, and seeing stuff in a different light. I didn't want to ignore you, I was just trying to sort my feelings out. And well.” This time, when he spoke again, his eyes were looking directly into Kihyun’s, “I think I like you. Have been for quite some time, if I actually think about it.”

Kihyun had the time to take a step back and find a chair before his knees gave out under him. 

“What?!” He repeated again, because his brain had stopped functioning and his heartbeat was going frantic, chanting “ _ Minhyuk, Minhyuk, Minhyuk _ ” in his chest.

“It’s ok if you don’t feel the same, I don’t ask you too. I just wanted to tell you, because we always share everything and I don’t want to lose my best friend.” Minhyuk’s voice was trembling, as though he was on the verge of tears, and Kihyun’s hands couldn’t stop shaking.

“You’re such a fucking moron,” Kihyun gritted out, and Minhyuk took a step back as if the words had just hit him in the face. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice just barely above a whisper. Kihyun stood up.

“You pretended you didn’t remember kissing me for weeks. Weeks, Minhyuk! Do you know how I felt? I thought you were too drunk and you didn’t mean what you did.”

Minhyuk was about to reply, but Kihyun took the steps separating them and sealed his lips between his thumb and forefinger.

“I can’t believe how dumb you are,” he laughed, because he couldn’t help it, happiness bubbling up in his chest and lifting that heavy weight over his sternum, making it easier to breath. “You’re the dumbest friend I’ve ever had.”

The next words Minhyuk said came out as an unintelligible blabber, until Kihyun’s fingers slipped down his face to cup his jaw. “Jooheon is pretty dumb too,” Minhyuk joked, uncertainty still clear in his eyes when Kihyun rubbed his digits against his jaw. 

“You’re still dumber.”

Before Minhyuk could reply, Kihyun was using his grip on his jaw to drag his head towards his own, their noses pressed together when he finally confessed: “I like you too, you idiot.” 

Minhyuk kissed him. 

This time, Kihyun didn’t leave him space to escape, pressing him against the kitchen table and grasping his hair between his fingers, molding their bodies together so they would become one. Kissing Minhyuk felt even better than he remembered, fireworks erupting between his ribs when his best friend slid his hands down his body, dragging him even closer once he reached his hips. His lips were chapped and dry, but Kihyun didn’t mind, licking over them and smiling through the kiss when Minhyuk opened his mouth for him. 

Kihyun learned that kissing Minhyuk was a lot like arguing with him, the struggle to win, to be the one on top always present. He tugged on his hair when Minhyuk bit his bottom lip a little to hard, and the whine his best friend emitted made liquid heat flood Kihyun’s stomach. 

“I’m so dumb,” Minhyuk said once Kihyun was kissing his way down from his jaw to his neck, still trapping him between his body and the table. The hum Kihyun let out made goosebumps erupt on his skin, which Kihyun licked slowly, dragging his tongue up to suck on his lobe.

“I could have been doing this since the party, if I wasn’t such a coward.”

Kihyun chuckled at that, biting his ear before finally detaching his lips from Minhyuk.

“It’s ok. We can do it now, and for as long as you want.”

Minhyuk pecked his cheek, sweet and short, just a soft, affectionate gesture. The smiles on their faces had never been brighter. 

“And what about Hoseok?” Minhyuk suddenly asked, caressing Kihyun’s hair with one hand while he hugged him closer with his other arm. Squishing Minhyuk’s face between his palms and kissing his lips briefly, Kihyun grinned at him.

“I guess we can figure it out later.”

 

*

 

Asking Hoseok out turned out to be easier than what they expected, because as soon as he saw them walking over to him while holding hands Hoseok was already nodding his head yes.

“Whatever you’re gonna ask, yes,” he said to them, hugging and squeezing them so hard both of them where wheezing for air once the older man let them go. “I’m so glad you finally sorted things out,” he added, the most sincere and beautiful smile taking over his face. Kihyun wanted to kiss him. He threw a glance at Minhyuk, who was grinning just as bright, and he thought that maybe he was lucky. Maybe he was the luckiest man alive.

Maybe kissing Minhyuk was amazing, but kissing Hoseok was just as good. And when he got to kiss them both, it felt like everything finally found its right place in the world. The thumping of his heart screamed two names, one right after the other, and it was so loud Kihyun wondered how the other two couldn’t hear it. 

And even when Minhyuk and Hoseok kissed each other, when he saw them holding hands, when they whispered to each other, sitting close together, Kihyun’s chest didn’t hurt anymore. There was no knot in his throat, no weight that made it hard to breath, no more pain right under his sternum. Instead, butterflies flew inside his ribcage, moving their wings faster and faster, until out of Kihyun’s mouth came a delighted laugh, happiness filling him completely.

“I can’t believe you two got together because I said I would sleep with you,” Hoseok joked when they first went out together, and Minhyuk and Kihyun both blushed under his mischievous gaze.

“That’s not what happened!” Kihyun protested, and Minhyuk added: “That’s not what you said, either!”   
Hoseok grinned, dipping his chopsticks inside his bowl of food before replying: “You’re right, I don’t fuck on the first date.”

Kihyun choked on his rice, Hoseok laughing while he reached out to pat his back, his hand warm even through the fabric of Kihyun’s shirt. When Kihyun finally stopped coughing, Hoseok kindly gave him a glass of water, which the younger accepted with a thanks. 

“It’s ok, though, I fuck on the second one,” Hoseok added, eliciting a pained whine out of an almost dead Kihyun, who got water up his nose.

“Hyung,” Minhyuk growled, hiding his growing blush inside his plate. “Stop messing with us.”

Giggling like a cute, young boy, Hoseok helped Kihyun until the purple-haired man could breathe again, his ears as red as Minhyuk’s were. 

What Hoseok brought to their relationship were loud laughs and gentle words, soft touches that smudged the sharp edges of Kihyun and Minhyuk, making their corners rounder so they could fit better together instead of clashing against each other, too stubborn to let a challenge go. 

And when it came to bets, Kihyun promised to himself that the only thing he would bet on from that moment on would be his own happiness, because there was no way he could lose. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Two scenes in this are re-adapted from the kdrama "Romance is a bonus book," which i highly reccomend watching!!!
> 
> As usual, you can come scream at me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/kihoxbebe/) or [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/kihoxbebe) :3


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